Field
The present disclosure relates to visualization and analysis of the atmospheric and operational environment related to aircraft flight operations with the goal of improving air transport safety and fuel efficiency. The disclosure also applies to other transportation industries, including marine, land-based and space-based vehicles.
Background
The disclosed technology provides communications and coordination of flight operations between Dispatch and Flight personnel over long distances, such as across the vast areas of the Pacific Ocean. One limitation for operations in remote environments is reliability of the communication network, which may be noisy, interrupted or not available for extended periods. Another factor which limits communication is the expense of the communication network, which may be cost prohibitive for high bandwidth communication.
Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) equipment is used in cockpits as now allowed by US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. The techniques described herein provide user tracking of long-range air transport and apply to Dispatch and EFB applications, both on the ground and in flight. The Common Operating Environment (COE) approach reduces error of interpretation and user workload both on the ground and in the cockpit. The techniques can also be used in Extended Operations (ETOPS, an FAA requirement for alternate landing sites in event of depressurization or engine failure).
One issue with flight plans is that, in many cases, changes in the flight plan must be approved by the controlling authority. In airline operations under (US) FAA CFR 14 Part 121, the controlling authority typically is a licensed flight dispatcher (“dispatcher”) who is jointly responsible with the pilot in command for the operation of the flight. Certain deviations from the original flight plan must be approved by the dispatcher prior to effecting those changes. Another issue is that information kept on board the aircraft, including information stored in an EFB, must be current. Additional information, such as SIGMETs and NOTAMs, must also be current, which is difficult to achieve while in flight.